The present invention relates to a component storage unit for storing electronic components, mechanical components, optical components, etc. and a method and an apparatus for inspecting the components stored in the component storage unit.
Conventionally, an embossed carrier tape has been widely used as a component storage unit for storing electronic components or mechanical components. FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the embossed carrier tape. A carrier tape 91 has component storage recesses 93 for storing components 92 therein. After the components 92 are stored in the recesses, a top cover tape 94 is thermally fused or bonded securely to a surface of the carrier tape 91, so that the components 92 are held in the carrier tape. In order to take the components 92 outside, the top cover tape 94 is pulled in a direction of an arrow F, whereby the thermally fused part or bonded part is broken to release the holding to the components. In other words, actually, the components cannot be held again in the embossed carrier tape 91 once the top cover tape 94 is detached to free the engagement of the components 92.
In a modification of the embossed carrier tape, a hole 97 is provided at the center of the storage recess 93, which is used when the component 92 is pressed up by a push pin 96 from below the embossed carrier tape 91 to improve efficiency, that is, a chance of successful sucking and removal of the component 92 by a suction nozzle 95 as a suction device after the top cover tape 94 is separated. FIG. 10B is a sectional view of the embossed carrier tape 91 in a state where the component 92 is pushed upward by the push pin 96 and sucked by the suction nozzle 95. The hole 97 is sometimes utilized so as to confirm absence of the component 92 after the component 92 should have been stored in the embossed carrier tape 91 and secured by the top cover tape 94. FIG. 11 is a diagrammatical sectional view of how to confirm a state of a missing component 92. 98 is an emission part of a transmission type sensor, and 99 is a detection part of a transmission type sensor. When the component 92 is present in the carrier tape, a light B from the emission part 98 of the transmission type sensor penetrates the hole 97, but is interrupted by the component 92 and does not reach the detection part 99 of the transmission type sensor. On the other hand, if the component 92 is missing a light Bxe2x80x2 enters the detection part 99 of the transmission type sensor, whereby the absence of the component is detected. The top cover tape 94 generally comprises a transparent tape in many cases, therefore allowing the light Bxe2x80x2 to penetrate the top cover tape 94 to reach the detection part 99 of the transmission type sensor.
However, even when the absence of the component 92 is discovered, it is impossible to detach the top cover tape 94 solely at the point of the missing component, accommodate the component, and, fix the top cover tape 94 again. For solving this inconvenience, a component storage unit requiring no top cover tape is proposed and disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-156562. FIG. 12A is a plan view of a component cluster formed by connecting the proposed component storage units to one another, and FIG. 12B is a front view thereof. Shutters 102 as a component pop-out prevention device are set at an opening part 107 of a component storage unit 108 having a component storage recess 106 for accommodating the component. The openable shutters 102 cover at least an upper face of the stored component. Connecting parts 109 are provided at an end part of the storage unit so that the storage unit can be coupled to the other storage unit. 103 is a projecting part for opening and closing the shutter 102, and 104 is a feed hole formed for driving the component cluster of a plurality of component storage units 108 in a connection direction. 105 is a component stored in the component storage unit 108.
Conventionally, the electronic components and mechanical components are generally inspected in units of components or subjected to sampling inspection before being stored in the component storage units and shipped as products. In the case of the electronic components, e.g., as shown in FIG. 13, the electronic components temporarily stored in an intermediate storage container such as a tray or the like immediately after being produced as products are taken outside one by one, transferred to above an inspection probe, inspected through touch with inspection pins, and finally stored in the component storage container proposed in the prior art No. 6-156562. In FIG. 13, 81 is the electronic component having connecting terminals at a lower face and arranged and stored in matrix in the tray, serving as intermediate storage container, designated by 82. 83 is an inspection station provided with inspection pins 84 of the inspection probe. 85 is a component transfer arm with a suction nozzle 86 which sucks and moves the component 81 up and down. The electronic component 81 stored in the tray 82 is sucked, transferred above the inspection probe, and moved down by the component transfer arm 85, whereby the connecting terminals are brought in touch with the inspection pins for the inspection. In the prior art) additional time for transferring the component is required in addition to inspection time, whereby inspection efficiency is deteriorated greatly. Also teaching etc. to the component transfer arm is required to transfer the component from the intermediate storage container such as the tray, etc. into contact with the inspection pin, which leads to the need for a considerable amount of time in the case where kinds of components are to be switched, etc., thus hindering a start-up of production.
The present invention has for its object to provide a component storage unit and a method and an apparatus for inspecting components using the component storage unit. The invention can eliminate transfer time for components during inspection. The invention can also teach to a component transfer device for a component transfer operation, and can improve inspection efficiency.
In order to accomplish the above-described object, the present invention is constituted as described hereinbelow.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component storage unit which comprises a component engagement member which is set at an opening part of a container having a storage recess for storing a component and which is releasably engaged with at least a part of an upper face of the component stored in the storage unit thereby holding the component at a predetermined position. The component storage unit has an inspection hole formed at a part of the storage recess for inspecting a state of the component stored in the storage recess from outside. The inspection hole allows an inspection member for inspecting the state of the stored component to penetrate and contact the stored component.
In another aspect of the present invention, the engagement member is an engagement element having a leading end plate-like part engaged with the component when the inspection member penetrating the inspection hole comes in contact with the stored component. As a result, the component is prevented from popping outside of the storage space.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component storage unit according to the first aspect, wherein the inspection member is constituted by conductive inspection pins which come in contact with connecting terminals of the stored component thereby inspecting an electric characteristic of the stored component.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component storage unit according to the first or third aspects, wherein the engagement member integrally molded of a resin material is adapted to hold an engagement release state and an engagement state by means of an elastic force of the resin material.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component storage unit according to any one of the first, third and fourth aspects, wherein the engagement member is an engagement element which is movable from the opening part of the storage recess to the engagement state, and from the engagement release state to the stored component stored in the storage recess.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component storage unit according to any one of the first, and third through fifth aspects, wherein a hole is formed in the storage recess. The hole allows a heating member of a heating apparatus that can heat the stored component when the state of the stored component is to be inspected to pass therethrough.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component cluster comprising a plurality of the component storage units to be coupled in a band.
According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component inspection method, whereby whether the component stored in the component storage unit is good or not is inspected using the inspection hole formed in the storage recess.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component inspection method according to the eighth aspect, whereby the inspection member penetrates the inspection hole of the storage recess to contact the connecting terminals of the component stored in the storage recess, thereby inspecting an electric characteristic of the component.
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component inspection method according to the eighth aspect, whereby light is projected to the stored component from the inspection hole of the storage recess, so that a shape of the component is inspected by an optical inspecting apparatus.
According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component inspection method according to the tenth aspect, wherein the shape of the component to be inspected is a state of a connecting terminal part of the component.
According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component inspecting apparatus, which comprises a transfer apparatus that can transfer the component cluster defined in the seventh aspect as component storage units. Inspection pins penetrating the hole of the storage recess at a predetermined position contact connecting terminals of the component, thereby inspecting an electric characteristic of the component.